Steam iron



Dec. 13, 1960 Filed April 21, 1958 i ed taes STEAM IRON Philip E. Willman, St. Charles, 11L, assignor to McGr-aw- Edison Company, Elgin, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 729,749

8 Claims. (Cl. 38-77) The invention relates to improvements in electrically heated steam pressing irons and is more particularly concerned with the novel construction and assembly of manual means operable for opening and closing a spring biased valve controlling the flow of water from the water reservoir in an iron into the boiler cavity or steam chamber therein.

Some current models of steam irons have the filling opening or tube for the Water reservoir on the top of the iron and wholly independent means operable manuually to open and close the valve controlling the flow of water from the reservoir chamber into the boiler cavity or steam chamber. It is proposed to combine the filling opening or tube and valve control structure into a single assembly wherein the mouth of the filling tube is substantially closed normally by a knob on the valve control element and can be easily and quickly opened irrespective of whether the valve control means is in valve open or valve closed position.

The structure and assembly is such that the knob on the valve control element is retained normally within the confines of the mouth of the filling tube so as not to detract from the overall appearance of the iron and further, to avoid the presence of any objectionable projections or the like which might injure the user or be broken or damaged in use.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a novel construction of valve control assembly.

Another object is to provide a combination valve control assembly and filling tube for a steam iron wherein the assembly, including its control knob, is normally enclosed in said tube and said knob may be easily and quickly displaced relative to the tube and without operation of the valve so as to admit access to the filling tube for filling.

Another object is to provide a novel mounting construction for a control knob.

Another object is to provide a novel structure for frictionally retaining a displaceable valve control knob in operable position on a valve control rod.

Another object is to provide a combination filling tube and valve control structure which is simple and inexpensive to construct and assemble, easy to operate, positive in its operation, and highly efficient in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purposes of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawrngs:

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical central sectional view of the front end of an electric steam iron, showing a filling tube and valve control element embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the valve control element and related elements;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper end portion of the filling tube and valve control element;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the mounting bracket or sleeve for the knob;

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 66 of Figure l.

The electric steam iron selected for purposes of illustration includes a heavy metal base 11, which may be of any conventional shape, provided with an electrical element 12 for heating the iron and formed with a boiler cavity or steam chamber 13. The steam chamber is arranged therein so that water supplied thereto, in a manner to be described presently, will be heated by the heating element so that steam of the required temperature for moistening the material to be ironed is obtained, which steam is delivered from the steam chamber to the bottom face 14 of the iron through one or more orifices as is conventional in irons of this type.

The steam chamber is provided with a cover plate 15 having a valve coupling 16 mounted securely therein. As shown, this coupling has an internally threaded bore 17 in communication at its lower end with a drain tube 18 opening into the steam chamber 13.

A sealed water reservoir 19, of conventional construction and including a bottom wall 21 and a top wall 22, is arranged above the cover plate 14. The bottom wall 21 has an aperture therein in register with the bore 17 and through which an externally threaded nipple 23 of a valve body 24 is extended for threading engagement with the threaded bore 17 so as to afiord a water-tight seal between the reservoir and the coupling. The valve body 24 is internally bored to receive therein a valve stem 25 which extends loosely through a port 26 in the end wall of the nipple 23, and has a valve head 27 thereon. The upper end of the stem 25 is externally flanged circumferentially, as at 28, and a spring 29 surrounding the stem 25, between the flange 28 and the nipple end wall, normally urges the valve head 27 into valve closing position against the nipple. The valve body has one or more diametrical passageways 31 communicating with the interior thereof so that when the valve stem 25 is depressed against the action of its spring 29 to open the valve, water may flow from the reservoir 19 into the steam chamber 13.

A filling opening for the water reservoir 19 is provided in the form of an open ended tube 32 which is secured at its lower end, as by clinching as at 33, to the top wall 22 of said reservoir. The tube extends upwardly through the substantially vertical front end of a handle 34, which may be molded therearound, and it preferably has its upper extremity flared outwardly slightly, as at 32a, to provide an enlarged mouth to facilitate filling. As is well understood by those skilled in the art, both the reservoir 19 and handle 34 are attached to each other and to the iron body at their other ends (not shown) so as to provide a rigid assembly.

dition by latch means now to be described.

The filling tube 32 provides a mounting for a combination manually operable valve actuating assembly and filling tube closure means now to be described.

A cup-shaped guide 35 including a perforated bpttom wall 36 and a cylindrical wall 37 -is secured, as by ,soldering or welding,.within the lower extremity of the filling tube 32. This cup-shaped guide 35 receives freely therethrough an actuating rod 38 disposed axially in the tube 32, which has its lower end seated in the valve body bore as shown so as to cooperate with the flanged end of the valve stem 25. .The rod 38 extends upwardly through a radial slot 39 (Figure 6) .in a radial guide flange 41 formed on the upper edge of an annulus 42 secured, as by soldering or welding, to the filling tube below its flared upper end 32a, and said rod carries on its upper extremity, a button or knob 43. The knob 43 is of a diameter'so as to fit loosely within the confines of the flared tube end, as shown, so as to norinallyprovide a substantial closure for said tube and it is mounted on the stem in a novel manner to enable it to be easily and quickly removed from the filler tubeto permit filling of the reservoir. The knob also afiords manually engageable means to facilitate pressing of the rod 38 downwardly so as to operate the spring biased normally closed valve head 27.

Normally, the valve rod 38 and its knob 43 are held in an elevated position by means of an expansion spring 44 which is coiled about the rod and bears at its lower end on the cup wall 36 and at its other end against a washer 45 secured firmly to the rod. When the knob is depressed to open the valve, said valve may be locked in open con- As shown, the rod includes an external shoulder 46 which may comprise a washer welded to the rod. When the rod is depressed to open the valve, the periphery of the washer 46 initially engages a cam surface 47 on an inwardly radially extending flange 48 formed on one end of a semi-circular band 49 mounted firmly above the annulus 42. As downward movement continues, the periphery of said washer 46 engages beneath the bottom edge 51 of said flange 48 to prevent return movement of the rod in an upward direction. This camming engagement and latching is permitted because of the radial slot 39 in the guide flange 41 which allows the rod to shift laterally in said slot sufiiciently to enable the washer 46 to clear the radial flange 48 during downward movement of the rod. Return of the rod into its normal axial position is insured by a leaf spring 52 formed integral with the semi-circular band 51 and diametrically opposed to the radial flange 48, which spring bears at all times against the side of the rod. In order to release the locked down control rod 38 so as to permit the valve to close, the rod is urged laterally against the action of the spring 52 until the washer 46 clears the flange edge 51 whereupon the coil spring 44 acts to return the rod to its initial elevated position.

When the knob 43 is in the position shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 3, it lies within the confines of and substantially closes the mouth of the filling tube 32. To permit full access to be had to the tube 32 for filling the water reservoir, said knob may be displaced by moving it into substantially the dotted line position shown in said figures. In order to accomplishthis, said knob 43 has the upper end of a mounting sleeve 53 embedded firmly'therein. This sleeve, which is best shown in Figure 4, preferably comprises an elongated or oval configuration of. sheet metal bent in a lateral direction to define rod embracing end'portions 54-455 and connectfppperend of the rod and having its projecting ends lying in the path of the end portions 5455 of the sleeve 53. A leaf spring 58, formed integral with the sleeve and depending from the upper end portion 54 thereof, normally bears firmly against the side of the rod 38 to frictionally retain the sleeve in the full line telescoped position shown. When the sleeve is in that position, the lower edge of the upper end portion 54 is seated on the pin 57. It is while in position that the knob 43 substantially covers the filling tube and is operable to actuate the valve.

When the reservoir filling tube is to be exposed for filling oi the reservoir, the knob .43, and its sleeve 53, is pulled upwardly a distance to carry the lower end portion 55 ofthe sleeve into abutment with the pin 57 and said knob and sleeve then are swung laterally about the pin 57 as a pivot substantially into the dotted line position shown in Figures 1 and 3. The upper end of the filling tube is now substantially uncovered.

It should be quite apparent that the valve control rod and knob assembly is such that the knob is retained in valve operating position within the filling tube and that there are no objectionable projections or extensions thereon of a character that might be readily broken oflf, or which might injure the user or damage articles coming into contact therewith. Furthermore, the knob may be easily and quickly carried into an out of the way position clear of the filling tube when filling of the reservoir is indicated.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should be manifest also that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. in a steam iron provided with a water reservoir and a steam chamber, the combination of, a valve controlling the flow of water from the reservoir to the steam chamber, a spring normally biasing the valve into closed position, an upstanding filling tube for the reservoir, an axially reciprocable control rod for said valve extending through the filling tube and having its lower end disposed to abut said valve, spring means to urge the rod into one position of axial adjustment, guide means for said rod, a manually engageable knob on the upper end of said rod, said knob normally resting within the confines of the upper end of the tube, a latch element in said tube, a shoulder on the rod, spring means to urge the shoulder into engagement with the latch means when the knob is depressed to locate the rod in another position of axial adjustment, and means mounting the knob on said rod to permit the knob to be moved relative to the rod into a position outside of said tube.

2. In a steam iron provided with a water reservoir and a steam chamber, the combination of, a valve controlling the flow of water from the reservoir to the steam chamber; spring means normally biasing the valve into closed position, an upstanding filling tube for the reservoir, an axially reciprocable control rod for said valve extending through the filling tube and having its lower end arranged to abut said valve, spring means to urge the rod into one position of axial adjustment, a manually engageable knob on said rod, said knob normally resting within the confines of the upper end of the tube, a latch element, latch engaging means on the rod, spring means to urge the latch engaging means into engagement with the latch element when the rod is in another position of axial adjustment, and means mounting the knob on said rod to permit the knob to be withdrawn from engagement with the rod and carried into a position outside of the tube.

3. In a steam iron provided with a handle, the combination of, a fluid reservoir, a steam chamber, a fluid control valve between the reservoir and ehamber 'movable between open and closed positions and yieldably biased into closed position, a filling tube for the reservoir extending upwardly through the handle, a valve operating rod extending upwardly from the valve through the filling tube, a manually engageable knob on said rod operable to move said rod axially, said knob normally substantially closing said filling tube, and means mounting said knob on the rod to permit said knob to be carried out of said tube closing position without moving the rod.

4. In a steam iron provided With a handle, the combination of, a fluid reservoir, a steam chamber, a fluid control valve between the reservoir and chamber movable between open and closed positions and yieldably biased into closed position, a filling tube for the reservoir extending upwardly through the handle, an operating rod engageable with the valve and extending upwardly through the filling tube, a manually engageable knob on said rod, said knob normally substantially closing said filling tube, and a sleeve integrally connected to the knob telescopically and pivotally connected to said rod adapting the knob to be moved into a plurality of positions with respect to said rod.

5. In a steam iron provided with a handle, the combination of, a fluid reservoir, a steam chamber, a fluid control valve between the reservoir and chamber movable between open and closed positions and yieldably biased into closed position, a filling tube for the reservoir extending upwardly through the handle, an operating rod engageable with the valve and extending upwardly through the filling tube, a manually engageable knob on said rod, said knob normally substantially closing said filling tube, a sleeve integrally connected with said knob telescoped over the upper end of said rod, and means on the rod to limit telescopic movement of said sleeve, said means comprising pivot means to permit the sleeve to be pivoted with respect to the rod when partially withdrawn from its telescoped position thereon.

6. In a steam iron including a normally closed fluid control valve and having a filling tube and a valve control rod axially reciprocable in said tube for opening said 40 2,979,507

valve when moved axially in one direction, guide means for said rod in said tube, said guide means including an opening through which the rod extends and of a size and shape to permit displacement of the rod in a direction perpendicular to its axis; a shoulder on said rod, a bracket in said tube, a latch on said bracket, a spring on said bracket diametrically opposed to said latch and engageable with the rod to urge it in a direction perpendicular to its axis so as to engage the shoulder with the latch when the rod is moved axially in said one direction, and a knob on said rod normally received in said tube to substantially close the same.

7. In a steam iron having a normally closed fluid control valve therein, an axially reciprocal rod engageable with said control valve for opening said valve, a knob, a sleeve attached to said knob and telescopically related with said rod, an axially extending guideway in said sleeve, and means on said rod engaged in said guideway to limit telescopic movement of the sleeve relative to said rod, said means and guideway cooperating to permit partial withdrawal of the sleeve from said rod and tilting of the sleeve relative to the rod without separation.

8. In a steam iron having a normally closed fluid control valve therein, an axially reciprocal rod engageable with said control valve for opening said valve, a knob, a sleeve attached to said knob and telescoped over said rod, an axially extending guideway in said sleeve, means on said rod engaged in said guideway to limit telescopic movement of the sleeve on said rod, said means and guideway cooperating to permit partial withdrawal of the sleeve from said rod and tilting of the sleeve relative to the rod without separation, and spring means in said sleeve and engageable with the rod to resist withdrawal of the sleeve from over said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Parr June 8, 1954 Duncanson May 28, 1957 Maykemper July 2, 1957 

